Oh we do pretty much everything available, which in the UK translates to:
WEKAF/GSBA (we fight in GSBA because :politics:)
Padded stick
Low-armour (WEKAF helmet and gloves, WEKAF stick)

As individuals we're free to do whatever we like, one of my buddies recently competed in a San Shou event and I'm hoping to make the Euro Dog Brothers gathering before I hit 30.

Glad to hear you get to do some things on your own with a bit more practicality. I dig Doce Pares as a system, but really hate seeing the crap that passes for sparring in virtually every WEKAF vid I have come across.

I dig Doce Pares as a system, but really hate seeing the crap that passes for sparring in virtually every WEKAF vid I have come across.

Eskrido isn't everyone's cup of tea, and there's obviously a high level of holding back when sparring eskrido on account of the lack of gear, but I really like the type of sparring they're doing in this vid @ 1:46.

Again, this is not hard sparring, but it is not choreographed either. You also kind of have to understand the basics of the art (the hows and whys of abanikos etc). Both people are allowed to move as they wish, and disarms and throws come into play organically instead of by the numbers. Its more akin to push hands than to hard contact largo sparring, which is part of what attracted me to it. My teacher is very technical and fast, he strikes at a million angles and when you try to defend you end up in a godawful wristlock or something.

Eskrido isn't everyone's cup of tea, and there's obviously a high level of holding back when sparring eskrido on account of the lack of gear, but I really like the type of sparring they're doing in this vid @ 1:46.

Again, this is not hard sparring, but it is not choreographed either. You also kind of have to understand the basics of the art (the hows and whys of abanikos etc). Both people are allowed to move as they wish, and disarms and throws come into play organically instead of by the numbers. Its more akin to push hands than to hard contact largo sparring, which is part of what attracted me to it. My teacher is very technical and fast, he strikes at a million angles and when you try to defend you end up in a godawful wristlock or something.

No, I agree. There is a time and place for the sort of thing that is shown in that video. It doesn't have to be full on live sparring all the time, and in FMA, that really isn't possible anyway.

Nice. The only exposure I have had to Villabrille-Largusa Kali is through videos, and seminars with Guro Dan Inosanto who pulls out a decent amount stuff from that system when he teaches. Looks like great stuff from what I have seen.

Again, this is not hard sparring, but it is not choreographed either. You also kind of have to understand the basics of the art (the hows and whys of abanikos etc). Both people are allowed to move as they wish, and disarms and throws come into play organically instead of by the numbers.

That might not be choreographed, but its not random either. Both individuals are clearly performing patterned motions in the latter "sparring" portion of the video. They have a flow that probably mimics parts of drills done in training and while its a free-flow, there are patterns present throughout. And its one reason why the demonstrator in this vid can pull off those locks and throws so nicely.

Still...better than a lot of the FMA out there and it serves a purpose in your training...Thanks for sharing the video.

I've tried to pull off kicks before, as we have no rules saying that we can't, but I'm not light enough on my feet. Plus, ever since knee surgery, I've been way too cautious with kicks. But I could definitely see where they are useful.

I've tried to pull off kicks before, as we have no rules saying that we can't, but I'm not light enough on my feet. Plus, ever since knee surgery, I've been way too cautious with kicks. But I could definitely see where they are useful.

I've tried to pull off kicks before, as we have no rules saying that we can't, but I'm not light enough on my feet. Plus, ever since knee surgery, I've been way too cautious with kicks. But I could definitely see where they are useful.

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I've pulled off low cut kicks a time or two when stick sparring, but it was in very specific situations such as when I managed to get my opponent's flank. I'm a big guy and my feet move slowly, so I use them pretty sparingly when I am doing long weapons. I've seen openings for a front kick to the knee or hip area as well as plenty of chances for stomps to try to break or at least sprain the ankle, but for the obvious reason of not wishing to hurt my training partners, I have never gone for them in a live sparring situation.